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 Lions Ledger

             Elizabethtown  Lions  Club

      

                      “We  Serve”

 

         MARCH   2005

 

President’s Message

We are about to embark on what I consider to be the best season of the year.  It is always exciting to anticipate all the special offerings of  Spring.  Mother Nature will soon become very active after a long dormant winter.  We can also expect our feathered friends to serenade us with an outpouring of musical notes. March is a month that also affords us a variety of opportunities to play an active part in Lionism.  We are selling the chocolate pizzas that are customized for Easter.  The bowling enthusiasts will get a chance to shine.  The twenty-second is our Easter Egg preparation night.  You are then asked to follow-up by helping with the Easter Egg Hunt on the twenty-sixth at 9:00 a.m.  Lions Ken and Jay will be looking for you. It is hoped that our Lions come to the forefront and contribute your time and/or talents in some constructive manner.  I will see you on the twenty-second.                                   

Lion Bill

Programs for March

Tuesday, March 8, 6:15 p.m., at the Fire Hall – Who's smarter – the Elizabethtown Lions Club or the Elizabethtown High School Quiz Bowl Team?  This question will be answered once and for all at this meeting.  Our guests will be the coaches and students from the Quiz Bowl Team, and we will engage in some friendly, fair competition testing our brainpower against the winning "Brain Busters" team.  You may have read about these students in the newspapers, or seen them on TV, but

they have never been tested against our Lions Club!  Hope to see you there!  (We'll need all the help we can get!!)

 

Tuesday, March  22, 6:15 p.m., at the United Methodist Church – this will be our annual egg coloring night.  (See details in article below.)

 

Welcome Lions Derrick and Chuck

         We are pleased to introduce the two newest members of our Club, Lion Everald (Derrick)

McDonald, and Lion Chuck Shaffner.

         Lion Derrick lives on Park Street with his wife and newborn daughter, Genevieve.

Lion Derrick works for the Department of Environmental Protection, in Harrisburg, and in his spare time coaches track at Milton Hershey Middle School.  He came to us via a transfer from the Steelton Lions Club.

         Lion Chuck, a self-confessed golf addict, has lived his entire life in the local area.  He lives on Milton Grove Road and is a customer service representative with Webster Veterinarian

Supply Company.  He has two adult daughters and a young grandson.

         Both these newest Lions were sponsored by Lion President Bill.  Nice going, Lion Bill, and welcome Lions Derrick and Chuck.  We are glad you have joined us.

 

Eggs – Coloring & Hunting With the arrival of Spring comes one of the annual events of our Club – the Community Easter Egg Hunt.  Of course, in order to conduct this event for the young children of the area, we need to have colored eggs to hide – many, many, eggs!  Where do we get these?  We make them!  (No, not the eggs … the colors ON the eggs.) 

The egg coloring is a family event, so bring your children, your grandchildren, neighborhood children, their parents – actually, anyone willing to help paint hard-boiled eggs. Meet at the United Methodist Church, 398 North Locust Street, Elizabethtown, at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22.  This will serve as our regular second meeting of the month.  Dress casually – "old" clothes are preferable, especially if you are not a very neat egg painter.  When the painting is done, we will have refreshments (perhaps ice cream and cake).  This is a fun activity for all who participate so come out and join in.  If you can help with the preparation of the eggs at 1:00 p.m. at the Church, that will be much appreciated by Lions Ken and Jay, Co-chairmen.

         The actual Egg Hunt will be held in the Community Park, along South Mount Joy Street, beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 26.  The Hunt is for area children ages 1-10.  We need Lions to arrive at the Park, across from the softball field, at 9:00 a.m. to hide the eggs in the designated areas for various age groupings of children.  This is an easy task but we will need about a dozen Lions to do it.  No sign-up is required – just show up at the appointed time and place and the project Chairman will direct you from there.  This is one of our more "visible" projects in the community, and one we have been doing for fifty or more years, so we want to uphold our reputation for this next generation of children (and their parents).  Plan to come out and be a contributor to this project – both coloring, and hiding, the eggs.

 

Looking Ahead

       Our first meeting in April will be on Tuesday, April 5, the FIRST Tuesday of the month, and before the April issue of this newsletter is published.   The reason for this change is that is the night of our annual Tri-Club meeting (Hershey, Palmyra, and Elizabethtown Lions Clubs) and, since it is Palmyra's turn to host it, we will meet on their schedule.  At our meeting on March 8, the details of this meeting, and the carpool departure time and place will be announced.  Mark your calendars now and help represent our Club to our neighboring Clubs.

 

Collectible Commemoratives

         Our Club conducted its second annual sale of Elizabethtown Collectible Commemoratives from late October 2004 through the beginning of January 2005.  We are grateful to the nine area merchants who assisted us with this project by being willing to sell the Collectibles for us.  They do not receive any money for their help but, without them, we could not hold the sale.  The good news is that this sale yielded a profit $2800.00 for the Club.  Next fall we plan to hold the third annual sale, with a newly designed ornament, of course.  If, in addition to the merchants' assistance, we can get more support from our members, an even larger profit is attainable. 

 

District Bowling Tournament

         Our Club's capable keglers (when is the last time you saw that word?) are

getting ready to take on the teams from other Lions Clubs from District 14-D

in the District Bowling Tournament.  We have always fared well in this competition

and expect to do so again this year.  Any member wishing to join our team should

contact Lion Dave Mueller (367-0125).  If we have enough interest, we could field

two teams of five.  Lion Dave has promised to let us know if a truck is needed to

haul home our trophies this year.  Good luck, Lions.  Knock 'em over!

Greeters for March

         Since we won't need Greeters at our second meeting this month (the Egg Coloring), only two members will be called to serve in this capacity this month – at our meeting on March 8 –  and they are … Lions Dick Sutton and Charlie Metzger.

 

Chocolate Pizza (really!)

       As a trial experience, the Board at its meeting on February 8, authorized

the Club to sell Chocolate Pizzas.  These delicious "pizzas" are actually milk chocolate containing numerous added treats both within the chocolate, and on

top of it.  The added treats are seasonally themed and, since we are now in the Easter season, the ones we are selling are decorated with candy treats appropriate to this season.  The "pizzas" are six-inches in diameter, come sealed in plastic wrap, and in a box that looks like a real pizza box (smaller, of course).  They sell for $6.50 each.  At our meeting on February 22, many members picked up a set of five to buy/sell.  If this project goes over well, it will be considered as a fund-raiser in the future.   All orders for these "pizzas" are to be turned in to the project Chairman, Lion Dean Dochterman, at our regular meeting on March 8 and orders will be filled at our meeting on March 22 (Egg Coloring night). We are in need of additional fund-raising ideas so, if you think you know of something which could be of interest to the Club, please speak with President Bill.

 

Past Presidents Meeting

         Invitations have been mailed to each eligible member to attend this annual reporting and planning meeting so, if you received an invitation but didn't mark the date on your calendar, now is the time to do that.  It will be at Acorn Farms (same location as last year) on Tuesday, March 15, beginning at 6:30 p.m.  (If you need directions or have questions call Lion Mike Myers.)  Please try to bring the correct change ($16.25) to make it easier on the Treasurer that night.

 

Congratulations, Lion Mike!

         Those who read the Harrisburg Patriot News on Tuesday, February 8, no doubt saw the very complimentary article about Lion Mike Myers, accompanied by his photo.  The story appeared in the section of  that newspaper called "Volunteer Spotlight" and, as the name implies, Lion Mike was recognized for all the volunteer work he does.  In the story he says some nice things about our Lions Club.  So, thanks, Lion Mike, and congratulations.  He truly believes in, and exemplifies, our motto – "We serve."

 

Upcoming District Events

       The District 14-D annual Convention will be held at the Cedar Crest Middle School on Saturday, April 16.  Registration is required so, if you wish to attend this event, please notify President Bill so he can include you on the list of attendees from our Club.

         Those of you who ride a motorcycle may be interested in participating in the Ride for Sight which will be held Sunday, June 19.  More information about this may be obtained from our President or our Secretary.

 

Lions Awards

         The enclosed insert identifies two awards which are available from Lions International to any member who qualifies.  If you meet all the listed criteria on either form, please complete the appropriate form and see that President Bill receives it.

        

Oh No … Here We Go Again!

         Yep, it's true.  There is enough space (some may say too much!) to share a few jokes with you again this month.  We received many requests after last month's humor entries but, in spite of those, we're going to give you more this month.  Ready?  Then here we go …………

 

*  Did you hear about the rheumatoid alcoholic?  Every night he gets stiff in a different joint.

 

*  My wife says I'm a baseball fanatic.  She says all I ever read about is baseball.  All I ever talk about is baseball.  All I ever think about is baseball.  I told her she is way off base.

 

*  Tomato Ketchup:  If you do not shake the bottle, non'll come and then a lot'll.

 

*  My mind is like lightning – one brilliant flash and it's gone.

 

*  In the early 1700s, the captain of a Spanish pirate ship was very proud of his mongrel pet for its ability to bark once for "Si," and twice for "No."  After being captured by a British commander, the dog was taught the same trick in English,  He thereby became the world's first "'Si" and "Aye" dog.

 

*  Driving to work, a man had to swerve to avoid a box that fell out of a truck in front of him.  Seconds later, a policeman pulled him over for reckless driving.  Fortunately, another officer had seen the carton in the road.  The policeman stopped traffic and recovered the box.  It was found to contain large upholstery tacks.  "I'm sorry, sir," the first trooper told the driver, "but I am still going to have to give you a ticket."  "What?  What on earth for?" asked the incredulous driver.  The trooper replied, "Tacks evasion."

 

*  I'm a visionary.  I'm ahead of my time.  Problem is, I'm only about one and a half hours ahead. –  George Carlin

 

*  "I'm getting a divorce," said Jack to his friend, Bill.  "The wife hasn't spoken with me for six months."  Bill thought for a moment and then replied, "Just make sure you know what you're doing, Jack.  Wives like that are hard to find."

 

*  New employee to boss:  "Well, if I can't have a raise, how about the same pay more often?"

 

*A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word.  An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position.  As they passed a barnyard of mules, goats and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically, "Relatives of yours?"  "Yep," replied the wife, "in-laws."

 

*  A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day – 30,000 compared to a man's 15,000.  The wife replied, "The reason is we have to repeat everything we say to men."  The husband then turned to his wife and said, "What?"

 

*  While attending a marriage seminar dealing with communication, Tom and his wife Grace listened to the instructor say, "It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other."  He addressed the men, "Can you describe your wife's favorite flower?"  Tom leaned over, touched his wife's arm gently and whispered, "It's Pillsbury, isn't it?"

 

*  A mother complained to her doctor about her daughter's strange eating habits.  "All day long she lies in bed and eats yeast and car wax.  Oh, Doctor, what will happen to her?"  "Eventually," said the Doctor, "she will rise and shine."

 

*  If your mind goes blank, don't forget to turn off the sound. – Red Green

 

*  A little boy sent a "get well quick" card to his grandfather in the hospital.  Inside the card he wrote, "Dear Grandpa, Mommy tells me that you went to the hospital for a test.  I hope you get an 'A'."

 

*  Help stamp out and eradicate superfluous redundancy.

 

 

Until same time next month, keep smiling, Lions!